How would a tech billionaire form a deliciously dark cult, and what would happen if one of its founding members just happened to have a penchant for PVC? Those are the questions answered by Dead Island 2’s first DLC, Haus, available now on Xbox.
In Haus, you bear witness to cult leader Konstantin’s attempts to indoctrinate new members into the ranks. Initiates here pass through a series of increasingly tortuous trials, each one of which is designed to further separate mind from body. The end result? A nightmarish collection of denizens, all dressed to impress in a latex-heavy twist on haute couture.
What would a debauched and secret billionaire’s club look like?
Dead Island 2 Creative Director James Worrall
“What would a debauched and secret billionaire’s club look like?” asked Dead Island 2’s Creative Director James Worrall at the start of the process. “How do we go down the rabbit hole, or step through the looking glass? That’s where things started getting weird! We wanted a clear opportunity to re-dress our zombies in an interesting way and throw a surprise at our players.”
Haus itself is separated into a number of different biomes, each of which provides its own surprises as you explore and lay waste to the inhabitants within. Inspired by underground clubs and masked balls, it is a rich and opulent slice of LA life, as seen through the eyes of a technocrat who foresaw the pending apocalypse and has money, time and technology on her side.
Surprises lie everywhere in Haus and nothing is quite as it first appears as you explore the environments. Look closely enough at the windows and you might notice the pixellated haze of a TV screen, disguising the reality that lies on the other side. Mischief lurks in every nook and cranny of Haus, and you’ll never really know what lies behind the next door until you pass through it.
“It’s almost like a theatre,” says Art Director for Dead Island 2 Adam Olsson. “You’re stepping into a new world. We wanted something that felt unsettling – luxurious meets debauchery. The direction for the design team was to be playful, and to keep players guessing what’s behind the next door. Make it impossible to predict.”
These biomes come alive through exploration too. You can choose to ignore the signs politely asking you not to walk on the grass, but you do so at your peril. Each step off the beaten path invites the attention of more disgruntled cultists, but as the grass grows around you, your efforts to avoid the invasion only become more futile.
The direction for the design team was to be playful… make it impossible to predict.
Dead Island 2 Creative Director James Worrall
It’s an intense and intimidating world, in other words, and it’s designed to test your powers of survival to the limits. The good news is that you’ll be well-equipped to handle the increasingly hostile threat of Haus, thanks to a selection of explosive new weapons and abilities included with the DLC.
To begin unlocking the deeper secrets of the cultist’s mystery, you’ll first need to track down the devastating K-Rossbow weapon. This long-range weapon evolves over time as an essential tool against the Autophage, allowing you to lay devastating waste to your targets.
Elsewhere, the Hog Roaster helps you add a little flambé flair to combat, and – talking of hogs – you’ll need every ounce of firepower at your disposal when it comes to smoking Haus’ final nightmare, Long Piglet. You’ll need to bring everything you’ve got to this fight, boosted by your choices from eight new skill cards that provide even more options for taking out your target in murderous fashion.
When you’re done with this tasty final fight? All those extra tools you’ve added to your arsenal become available for your ongoing rampage against the wider zombie apocalypse of Los Angeles. New options for more carnage, and just how you like it.